Unfinished Ex (Calloway Brothers, #2)(70)

“While the chivalry is appreciated, my dad paid for the movers.”

I stare her down. “Like he paid for the house?”

She sits. “So he wants to be a doting granddad. Can you blame him for wanting his grandchild to grow up having a backyard, with a park and an ice cream shop nearby?”

I huff and back away, needing distance. “You need to understand something right now. I’m not sure if you have ulterior motives here, but you need to know that whether you live two miles away or two feet away, you and I will never be getting back together. So if this really is all part of some grand scheme to make that happen, I’d tell your father to kill the deal right fucking now.”

She rolls her eyes dramatically. “Get over yourself. I’m perfectly capable of being a single mother. And you have to admit living next door will make things easier. What if I go into labor in the middle of the night? What if after the baby comes he or she gets sick. You’ll be right there. What if he’s with you and needs his mother? You can practically yell over and get me. And surely you agree it’ll be what’s best for our child—us being there for him or her, together, even though we’re not.”

I lean against a pile of boxes, wanting to argue but knowing what she says is true. Just a few weeks ago, I was telling her I had every intention of being in the baby’s life as much as I could. But damn… this is a hefty dose of be careful what you wish for.

Nicky will be so upset.

“Guess you’ve thought of everything then.” I go for the door but hesitate. “Except Eric. He really misses you, you know.”

“He wouldn’t if he knew about the baby.”

“I don’t think you give the guy enough credit. Accidents happen, Calista. Women get pregnant when they have sex. It’s a fact of life. It was before you and he got together. Eric is a very understanding guy. He might surprise you.”

She stares at the wall. “I’ve had one too many heartbreaks this year. I don’t think I’m up for another.”

“But you didn’t even give him the chance to walk away. He’s one of my best friends. I hate to see him go through this.”

“Go through what?”

“Losing the woman he loves. You said it yourself, you want someone who loves you unconditionally. Well, I’m pretty sure you had him.”

“Loves? We weren’t even together a month. How can you say that?”

“So now love has a timeline?” I open the door, then remember Heisman is here. “Come on, buddy.” He doesn’t move. I go over to see him doing that thing again. He’s on the couch, his head glued to her as if… does he know she’s pregnant? Can he smell it or something? Or maybe it’s just the change in her demeanor. But I know that’s ridiculous. He wasn’t around her enough to notice a change. “Heisman,” I say sharply. “Come.”

Reluctantly, he follows. We walk the two miles home, him chasing every squirrel we come across, me wondering how I’m going to break the news to Nicky.





Chapter Twenty-eight



Nicky




Jaxon rolls off me again after another marathon session. He’s really trying to make me forget who moved in next door a few days ago. Calista, on the other hand, seems intent on not letting that happen. Every time I’m here, she has some emergency. Saturday night it was her air conditioner. Last night it was a leaky faucet. Funny how these ‘emergencies’ only seem to happen when I’m here. It occurs to me that maybe Jaxon doesn’t tell me about any others.

I visit the bathroom, then put on panties and one of his funny teacher T-shirts that makes a joke about their, there, and they’re. Although I’m taller than a lot of women, I still drown in the shirt, but it just barely covers my butt cheeks. Jaxon rubs one when I climb back in next to him.

“You’re handling this better than I thought you would,” he says.

I don’t dare tell him I’ve done nothing but cry since I found out about it. I don’t tell him I’ve been crying for weeks. I cry in the bathroom at work. On the train ride home. Even at his house in the shower. Just thinking about it now has me feeling ill. But I’m not about to be the needy girlfriend who demands all of his attention. This is Jaxon. After everything that’s happened in the past, I know he’ll be loyal to me at all costs. I also know he’ll do anything for his kid. Balancing the two is a line he’s treading very carefully.

“I don’t have a choice. The sooner I accept it, the easier this will be on all of us.”

He traces a finger down my jaw. “You’re amazing.”

Heisman stands at the end of the bed, his head on the sheets, whining to come up. The poor dog has been displaced. I pat the covers next to me. “Come on up, Heisman.”

He gives a happy ‘woof’ and jumps up, wiggling his way between us. The more I stay here, the more Heisman has warmed up to me. Not that he ever disliked me. He likes everyone. But I almost get the feeling he knows who I am, like maybe he even wants me here. Like now, his head is on my stomach, and he’s staring at me intently.

“Your dog is strange,” I say. “Don’t get me wrong, I love him. But lately he’s been different.

Almost protective somehow.”

Jaxon bolts up in bed.